Catalogue published in conjunction with an exhibition of the Kalighat paintings in the Victoria and Albert (V&A) and Victoria Memorial Hall (VMH) collections. The exhibition was held at both venues in 2011.

The catalogue discusses the development of Kalighat paintings, which rose popularity in the mid-nineteenth century in Kolkata as a popular urban art form. It explores the origins of the medium, and provides details on the materials and techniques used to create Kalighat paintings. It also tells the histories of two important collectors of Kalighat paintings for the V&A museum, John Lockwood Kipling and W.G. Archer. Lastly, the catalogue features works by five contemporary artists and explores the impact Kalighat paintings have had on their works.

Includes results from ultraviolet photography, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and Raman microscopy analyses as well as colored reproductions of the works.